How to Buy

Buying fireworks online for the first time can be a daunting experience but Fantastic Fireworks work hard in ensuring you have an easy and enjoyable experience. However, if at any point you decide you would rather just talk it over, don't hesitate to give our team a call on 0800 511 511/ 01582 542366. Staff can help advise you on everything from firing orders to noise levels for your display.

Here are a few things to consider when purchasing fireworks online:

• What are the little icons under each item?

Those are our ‘bangometer’ icons, designed to help you buy fireworks online. They each work on a scale of 1-10 (one being the lowest and ten the highest) and give you an indication of each firework’s noise level, colour, altitude and duration.

• How much work do you want to put into lighting the fireworks?

If you like the thought of lighting one fuse then sitting back and enjoying the display, look no further than the Fantastic Fireworks single ignition display boxes. As the name suggests, they are designed to be fired with a single ignition and these fireworks commonly come in the form of barrages, also known as ‘cakes’ to give a fabulous display with minimum work.

On the other hand, if you’re happy to light as many fireworks as it takes to keep your guests entertained, then be sure to purchase a few of our rockets as they are among the bestsellers for providing spectacular effects.

• Is noise an issue?

We can cater for both the noisiest and the most sensitive fireworks displays. To avoid upsetting any animals or small children, keep an eye out for the ‘Bangometer’ icon which indicates the noise level of each firework effect on a scale of 1-10, 1 being the quietest. Alternatively, click on the ‘Fireworks’ drop down menu and select ‘Quiet Fireworks’ to browse the selection within the category. It is also a good idea to notify your neighbours about planning a display, particularly if it’s outside the special firework occasions (e.g. Bonfire Night and New Year's Eve).

• How do I structure my fireworks display?

This is a bit like writing a book in that a good fireworks display needs a beginning, a middle and an end.

One option would be to pick from our selection of DIY Firework Display Packs which are thoughtfully assembled to complement one another. You can also opt for our single ignition products which do all the work for you. However, if you choose to pick out your own fireworks, there are a few recommendations that can help you. Browse our selection of openers and finale fireworks through searching for ‘open’ or ‘finale’ in the search box to find the perfect effects to either grab your audience’s attention or to end the show in style.

It’s also worth considering adding a personal touch to the display to make it extra special. For example, a birthday celebration could include lance work with the person’s name and age e.g. Henry 40, or the initials of the bride and groom for a wedding. Whatever the occasion, we can make it work!

• Will the audience be able to see everything?

We have some incredible ground level display fireworks, like catherine wheels, waterfalls and fantastic fountains. These can complement aerial fireworks or work as standalone effects, especially if noise is an issue – but will the audience be able to see them? If you’re firing from behind a wall or up on a raised surface, then the answer may be no.

• How long should my fireworks display last?

We can only advise you of our opinion on this one, but consider the following: Is your fireworks display the main event of the evening? If not (i.e. it’s a wedding, where the fireworks will be one of several highlights), then between four and eight minutes is perfect. Any longer and you will lose the WOW factor of your display. Think of those best man speeches which start off really funny, but then drag on for over half an hour, you don’t want people wishing your display was shorter now, do you? Leave them wanting more, as they say!

If, however, you are hosting a bonfire night party, whether it be at home or a Community display for a Scout Club, School PTA or a village fireworks evening, then it needs to be longer with a limit of approximately 20 minutes. However, you should remember that Category 3 display fireworks are likely to run over time than come up short because of the time it takes to light each firework.

Fantastic Fireworks fires hundreds of professional wedding fireworks displays and professional bonfire night displays every year. Four to six minutes is the average wedding/private party display duration, while for bonfire night displays the average is 20 minutes. No matter what the budget, these average durations work, trust us!

We hope you have found this information helpful. If you require further detail on the above, our Fantastic Fireworks blog does its best to cover all the types of things you need to consider when you are looking to buy fireworks online.